Hannity Uses "Buckwheat" Incident To Attack African Americans (Again)

Sean Hannity once again last night (11/13/07) used a subject of sensitivity to African Americans as a weapon with which to attack them. This time, the issue being discussed on Hannity & Colmes was the “Buckwheat” incident in Louisiana where a white Democrat called a black supporter “Buckwheat” just days before a runoff election. Under the guise of concern for African American feelings, Hannity quickly changed the focus to first attack Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and then concentrate on his favorite (and perhaps only) area of concern when it comes to racism: Discrimination against whites. With video.

Both guests were African American. On Hannity’s side was Angela McGlowan, a dim bulb who sounded as though she were reciting lines from a high school play. Obviously, she came prepared with a script to attack liberals, Democrats, Sharpton and Jackson. She seemed unable to discuss anything else or to speak extemporaneously.

McGlowan ducked Alan Colmes’ first question, “Does someone deserve the opportunity to apologize and have an opportunity to have it heard by the other side?”

McGlowan droned a non-sequitor. “I guess liberals are now comfortable using the n-word and they’ve resorted now to ‘Buckwheat.’” Her voice rising in pre-scripted outrage, she went on to complain that “liberals have a double standard and they treat us like second class citizens… The bottom line is this: Where is Al Sharpton now with 'no justice, no peace'?”

In a refreshing change of pace, Hannity got less time than Colmes for this segment. But Hannity economically used his time to bash the leaders of the black community, then complain about the “double standard” being shown to white people. In concert with Hannity’s concerns, “Double standard” had been displayed behind Colmes when he read the introduction to the segment. It's a regularpreoccupation with Hannity, the white supremacist sympathizer.

Hannity began, “I think apologies ought to be accepted if we believe they’re sincere.” (unless they come from Robert Byrd.) Continuing in his sing-song bullyboy voice, Hannity said, “The question I have is, where’s the Reverend Al Sharpton? Where’s Jesse Jackson in this particular case? And I want to know, do they selectively choose cases that fit a political agenda of theirs?” While he spoke, McGlowan tried to hog the limelight by first clapping and then nodding her head dramatically.

I think Hannity raised a fair question, although one that was inappropriate to ask of anyone not affiliated with either Sharpton or Jackson. But Hannity couldn’t let it rest there. He went on to bash Jackson for offering a scholarship “to the woman who, it turns out, falsely accused those Duke kids.” Translation: Showing concern for a black woman who falsely accused white students indicates Jackson is bigoted against whites.

The other guest was Michael Brown (son of Clinton cabinet member Ron Brown, not the "Brownie" of FEMA fame). I have been very critical of Brown in the past but I thought he did an excellent job this time. Brown responded, “Well clearly, you have to ask (Sharpton and Jackson) but I don’t think that’s really the issue – where the leaders are or why they’re not having press conferences somewhere… Clearly, people are outraged or we wouldn’t be talking about it on your show tonight. I’m outraged. I’m offended by it. It was wrong, it was disgusting, she shouldn’t have said it.” Hannity tried to interrupt but Brown refused to allow it. “I don’t know why it takes from you Sean, for you to define who should be standing at a press conference and were showing their outrage. That’s not the issue.”

McGlowan claimed, without offering any evidence, that the reason Sharpton and Jackson hadn’t shown any outrage is because there wasn’t enough money or press involved in the incident. “The civil rights movement has turned into a civil rights industry,” she intoned.

Hannity then displayed another oft-returned-to obsession: resentment that blacks “get away” with saying racially charged statements that whites can’t. Noting that McGlowan had been at his debate with Sharpton, Hannity asked, “Do you think if any white American had made comparable statements they would be in the position that Rev. Sharpton is in today or in the case of Rev. Jackson?"

McGlowan, obviously off script now, could not articulate a coherent answer but she was clearly sympathetic to Hannity’s “oppressed white” meme. “Yes, they would be in a worse position if a white person said some of the things that Rev. Al and Jesse said.”